DATE: Tuesday, September 2, 1997            TAG: 9709020221

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: STEVE CARLSON

LENGTH: 85 lines

BIG EAST REPORT

Tech quarterback

named offensive

player of week

Al Clark went almost four years between his last start in prep school and his first one in college, but it didn't take him long to warm up.

The Virginia Tech redshirt junior quarterback led the Hokies to a 59-19 season-opening win at Rutgers Saturday, and on Monday was named the Big East's first offensive player of the week.

``He was very much in control and focused, and that's what you like to see,'' Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. ``This was his first game starting, the first time it was really his football team. I think he handled himself real well.''

Clark ran for 118 yards and a touchdown on seven carries and completed 7 of 10 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns in his debut. Clark's touchdown run was the longest by a quarterback in the league's seven-year history. He became the first Hokies quarterback to pass and run for over 100 yards in his first start since 1976.

Shea likes Tech defense

Rutgers coach Terry Shea was, understandably, impressed with the Hokies. Asked to compare them to last year's Big East champs, Shea said Tech is not as polished or explosive offensively, although that may be because it was opening day.

``I think their defense is playing very, very well together,'' Shea said. ``They're an extremely fast defense, and they really do a nice job compensating for each other and they appear to be good tacklers. I've got tremendous respect for Virginia Tech's defense, and I think their offense will develop.''

Tech has a week off

The Hokies have an off week before hosting Syracuse Sept. 13, a game that will have a big say in whether Tech can compete for a third-consecutive trip to an Alliance bowl. Beamer said the Hokies need to work on their conditioning and make adjustments on their punt team - one was blocked and another was partially blocked Saturday. He said the next two weeks will determine how good of a team Tech can be, and he likes having an off week after the opener.

``Sometimes you think it looks good and then it doesn't turn out that way,'' Beamer said. ``But I think right now us having a game under our belts, seeing things full-speed against a football team and being able to go back and have a little time to correct things, I think if we really use it wisely it will be a good thing for us.''

Shaky start for Big East

The conference didn't fare well last week, with Temple falling at Mid-American Conference member Western Michigan and Syracuse losing at home in overtime to a middling ACC team in North Carolina State and falling out of the national polls. The conference is 4-2, but the only impressive non-conference win is Syracuse over Wisconsin.

This week may not help that non-conference record. Pittsburgh is at No. 1 Penn State, Rutgers is at No. 12 Texas, West Virginia hosts East Carolina and Syracuse is at Oklahoma.

Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni said he had no second-thoughts about deciding to run a third-down play at the end of regulation against North Carolina State with about 30 seconds remaining rather than kick a field goal. Newcomer Dee Brown fumbled at the State goal line, the Wolfpack recovered and went on to win in overtime.

``For whatever happened, we will in the end be a better football team and Dee Brown will become a better player,'' Pasqualoni said. ``It's just too bad these lessons sometimes are very costly and hurt a great deal.''

The Marshall has gone

West Virginia coach Don Nehlen seemed almost relieved Monday that Marshall, the Division I-AA champs a year ago and intrastate rival, was in his rearview mirror. The Mountaineers led 28-3, only to fall behind 31-28 late in the third quarter and then win 42-31.

``The Marshall game had so much hype to it I'm glad it's over,'' Nehlen said. ``They've been counting it down for like 70 days. It was enough to drive you crazy.''

Shawn Foreman from Chesapeake's Indian River High caught four passes for 23 yards. He is the Mountaineers' primary target now after preseason All-American David Saunders went down with a season-ending knee injury.

``No question Shawn is the go-to guy now,'' Nehlen said. ``Shawn has to step up now.''

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